The BA Rugby Union has strongly condemned two recent assaults on referees that occurred during last week’s finals, resulting in match cancellations.
Union Secretary Gabby Kautoga issued a statement affirming that any physical or verbal aggression towards referees or assistant referees from players, officials, or spectators will not be tolerated and will lead to disciplinary measures.
In one incident, Isimeli Burogo, the captain and number eight of Busa, punched match referee Tomasi Vale following the issuance of a yellow card to Burogo after a dispute over a penalty awarded to Yakete.
In another incident, Romulo Laitia, the fullback for Navala, assaulted referee Iliaseri Rokodrakia during the third-place playoff. Laitia ran onto the field contesting what he perceived to be an erroneous call for a forward pass during the match against Sorokoba.
Authorities were involved in both incidents, with police officers called to the grounds to escort the players involved to the Ba Police Station. The union has reiterated its commitment to a zero-tolerance policy concerning any form of abuse directed at officials and will enforce appropriate disciplinary actions.